Page 10

Jackson

I had to get out of there. Rage simmers in my blood, thick and suffocating.

The thought of someone torturing her has my wolf champing at the bit, demanding release.

The primal instincts within me surging forward, fueling an overwhelming desire to protect and defend her at all costs.

My wolf wants out—wants to find the threat and end it.

He's seeing everyone as a threat to her. Even Doc.

I try to reason with him. Whatever happened to her; she’s safe now. No one here will hurt her. But it’s like throwing a bucket of water on a raging forest fire.

I need to shift. If I don’t let him out soon, I won’t be able to control myself. I barely make it out the front of the pack hospital before shifting into my huge sandy brown wolf. My bones crack and reform, the fleeting pain a welcome distraction as a feral growl rumbles deep within my chest.

The world sharpens. Every sound is clearer. Every scent brighter. My muscles stretch and burn with every stride, a violent release that’s the only thing keeping me from unraveling completely.

The mere idea of someone inflicting harm upon her awakens the fierce, untamed nature of my inner wolf, ready to unleash its full power to ensure her safety. I tear into the woods. My paws pound the ground as I run off my rage.

Ryan and Luca join me after a while. As Alpha, Ryan can sense the emotions of all pack members, even when not beside them. He must have sensed my anger, but they don’t attempt to engage me. They understand the need to physically discharge my frustrations.

Another hour of running and my wolf has finally calmed enough to allow me to take control again. We head towards Ryan’s cabin. My wolf gives way to the shift, and my bones crack and shorten as I shift back into my human form.

We grab some shorts and tee shirts from the basket of spares by the door.

Ryan leaves them here to make sure no one accidentally flashes his little sister, Sofia, who lives here too.

Once inside, we head to the kitchen. Luca helps himself to a bottle of beer from the fridge and passes one to Ryan and me, too.

They both stare at me, waiting for an explanation.

My heart pounds against my chest; the rapid thudding echoes in my ears.

The muscles in my body tense and coil like a tightly wound spring, ready to explode at any moment.

My hands tremble with a mixture of rage and helplessness.

I have to set the beer down on the coffee table and clench my fists to stop myself from throwing it against the wall.

“She’s been fucking tortured,” I snap. A volatile cocktail of emotions courses through my veins is a mixture of anger and anguish.

The weight of the revelation I just shared hangs heavy in the air, echoing in my ears.

I throw myself into a seat as a heavy weight settles on my shoulders and my muscles ache with tension.

“Who has?” Luca asks, his voice filled with curiosity. He leans forward; his brow furrowed in confusion. As the question hangs in the air, Ryan and I stare at him incredulously.

“Emily, the girl we found three days ago . Who else?”

“Sorry,” Luca shrugs. “Some of us have had other things going on besides obsessing over the new girl.”

“I’m not fucking obsessing,” I bite out. “I was doing my job. Making sure she’s not a threat.”

“And did you?” Ryan questions calmly with a raised eyebrow.

“No,” I sigh, sinking further into my seat as I rub my hands over my face. “She hasn’t said anything much. She freaked out when I asked her what happened. It was bad. Full on panic—hyperventilating, shaking.”

Luca raises his brows. “So… we wait, or…?”

I let out a long breath as my wolf whimpers. “We need answers. She’s been here for days, and we still don’t know why . Or where she came from. Or if she's working with anyone. We don't know anything and we can’t afford to keep flying blind.”

“What are you suggesting?” asks Ryan.

“Well, an alpha command to tell us everything is clearly the easiest and quickest option. She won’t like it, but it gets the job done,” Luca says.

I hesitate, wishing we had a different solution, but I can’t think of anything. I drag my hands through my hair, feeling like I want to pull it out. My stomach twists with guilt, but we can’t take any chances with pack security.

“Do we have any other choice?” I ask .

A door clicks as Sofia strolls out of her bedroom and joins us. “Oh, my goddess, you guys are such idiots,” she scoffs.

“You have a better idea?” Ryan asks.

“How about you let the adults figure this out, huh?” Luca shoots back.

Sofia crosses her arms, cocks a hip out, and rolls her eyes. “Yes, I have a much better idea,” she snipes, her eyes narrowing as she stares directly at Luca. “Me.”

“You?” laughs Luca. “You might be an alpha female, Princess, but you get that only males have an alpha command, right?”

I wish I knew what made these two hate each other so much.

“Yes, oh wise one, I’m fully aware of what I can and can’t do. But you go in and use an alpha command on an abused omega and you might get your answers, but you’re also basically abusing her too,” she directs at Ryan, and he winces. I shift uncomfortably in my chair. She’s right, of course she is.

“You three are so used to being powerful males that you don’t have the first idea of what it’s like to be anything else. She’s scared , assholes.”

We all just sit there staring at her. When did Sofia go from being a gangly teenager who worshiped us and followed us everywhere to this twenty-year-old who is handing us our asses?

“Damn, Fia. Don’t hold back,” I say before taking a long sip of my beer.

“Wasn’t planning to,” she says with a wink. “Let me talk to her on my own. I’ll get your answers.”

Ryan smiles at Sofia and sits back. He’s proud of her and how much she’s grown up over the last couple of years.

It’s only been the two of them for the past six years since his mom did the unthinkable and rejected their dad after over twenty years together.

Ryan’s dad, our former Alpha, barely survived the rejection and was in no shape to continue as Alpha.

And while in the past, Ryan struggled with having Sofia following him everywhere, things have clearly changed.

“Make it happen.” Ryan says with a nod towards Sofia.

“Abso-fucking-lutely not!” Luca snarls as he jumps to his feet and stalks over to Sofia.

She shoots him a death glare that could turn a lesser male to ice.

“Not a fucking chance are you going to be alone in a room with someone we don’t fucking know!

We haven’t even figured out why she’s here.

It’s not safe and I won’t fucking allow it,” he snarls in her face.

His fists are clenched, and he’s leaning into her face, but she barely blinks.

Instead, she glares at him .

“Luca, last I checked, I was the Alpha of this pack,” Ryan says with an unmistakably hard edge. “Step back from my sister. Now ,” he orders, his voice edging with his alpha command.

Luca steps away and growls, “Of course, Alpha,” before he walks out. Sofia smirks and sticks out her tongue at his back.

“I trust you. Just let us know what you need,” Ryan says softly.

I glance at the clock on the wall; it’s already past 11pm. Too late to head over there now. Doc isn’t going to let us start questioning her so late when she’s recovering from surgery.

“Let’s go in the morning, yeah? I’ll meet you here first and we can go together.”

“Sounds good.” She turns to go, then glances back. “What size is she?”

“Um, tiny?” I say, looking to Ryan for help.

He chuckles. “She probably comes up to a little under your head, Fia. And she’s pretty skinny from what I saw. I don’t think she’s been eating properly.”

“Okay, thanks, guys. See you in the morning.” She flounces off towards her room, leaving me gaping at Ryan.

“She seems different.”

“She’s stepped up,” he says, gaze distant. “She’s been doing most of the Luna work lately. I’d be lost without her.”

He stares off absentmindedly, and I find myself wondering if something is going on with him. There’s something in his tone. Something heavy. But I don’t push.

One crisis at a time.

The following morning, I walk to Ryan’s place after warrior training, and Sofia’s waiting for me, carrying a bag. We walk towards the medical center. It’s only a ten-minute walk from Ryan’s place, so there is no need to shift into our wolves.

“You grew up; when the hell did that happen?”

“Well, it’s been a process, Jack,” she sighs. “But I’m twenty now. I’m not far off full maturity and I’ve been helping Ryan out with pack tasks for the past year and a half. He stopped treating me like a kid a long time ago, so I don’t see why you and Luca can’t.”

Fair point. Ryan, Luca and I have been best friends since we were in diapers, and we had very little interest in Sofia when she came along when we were nine.

We didn’t want a baby slowing us down, especially when she wanted to follow us around from the moment she could walk.

We’ve always seen her as the annoying little sister.

Funnily enough, out of the three of us, it used to be Luca who was closest to her in the past, but that all changed after he returned from beta training in another pack.

They have hated each other in recent years. Ever since she grew up, I guess.

“Sorry, Fia, it’s hard to forget the little girl who used to be our constant shadow,” I say while shuffling her hair.

She huffs out a breath. “I haven’t done that in years, Jack. It’s time to move on. I know I have.”

“I know, but it’s hard to move on from the past. You realize Luca and I have always seen you as a little sister, too.”

“I’m aware,” she grinds out.

“I’m sorry, I see it now,” I say and throw an arm around her shoulder. “You’re all grown up and not just when it comes to kicking unsuspecting warrior ass in training. I’m proud of you.” She smirks and gives me a side eye but leans into me, returning my embrace.

As we walk to the pack hospital, I tell Sofia about the information we have so far. As I say it out loud, I realize it isn’t very much at all. I send a silent plea to the Moon Goddess that Sofia can get some more information than we have so far.

Emily has obviously been through a lot, and I would like to help her, but I need to keep our pack safe first. It’s such an unnecessary risk taking a chance on a random she-wolf, no matter how vulnerable she seems. She’s simply too attractive, though.

Her long blonde hair, her petite curves, her pouty lips, and dazzling green eyes fanned by long eyelashes.

Plus, she’s an omega, so unmated male wolves are naturally drawn to her.

Sofia is an alpha female, but that’s really uncommon. Most females are unranked wolves, with only a small amount being warriors or omegas who all have some kind of gift or strength. They're in high demand among males. And why is that thought riling my wolf up so much?

“Maybe I should offer to train her. What do you think?” Sofia gives me a sidelong glance.

“Uh-huh. Sure. For… security reasons, right?”

“I want to monitor her. What better way?”

“Yeah, okay,” she says with a barely concealed chuckle. “I’ll see if she’s up to it. ”

“What, you think it’s a bad idea?” I question. I thought getting close to Emily was a great idea for figuring out her intentions.

“No, it’s not a bad idea. I think you’re full of shit about your reasons, but it’s not a bad idea.

But what would I know? I’m only a pack princess who only cares about girly shit and waiting for my mate,” she states with sarcasm dripping from her tone and fluttering her eyelashes in an obvious yet mocking way.

“He’s just being protective,” I offer tentatively.

“No, Luca’s just an asshole. Don’t let it rub off, m‘kay?” She says with such a saccharine sweet smile that I can’t hold back a laugh.

I appreciate how much it drives Sofia mad when people underestimate her.

It’s the main reason she kicks ass so much at warrior training, though, so I’m not complaining about that particular chip on her shoulder.

“Well, I’m not overprotective of anyone other than the pack, and she’s not pack,” I offer.

I’m met with a scoff. She’s being ridiculous.

Obviously, Emily is gorgeous—in a broken, vulnerable sort of way.

But I’ve been around plenty of pretty girls before and haven’t felt a need to make excuses to spend time with them.

I shake off the thought. This isn’t about me; it’s about the pack and my duty to keep it safe.

We walk the last few minutes in companionable silence before we head straight to Emily’s room.